Workplace accident: Unharnessed architect falls to his death

It is said that architectural students are taught by their professors that they are the rulers of construction jobsites. This mindset may lead to architects disregarding safety regulations. The truth is that any person on a construction site in New York and elsewhere can be a workplace accident victim, regardless of one's position on the project. An architect is just as vulnerable as a construction worker.

An architect recently lost his life when he fell from a building in New York City. Reports indicate that the owner of an architectural company in a neighboring state was on the 42nd story of the mid-rise complex. He apparently bent down to take some measurements near the edge of the building, and it is suspected that he got upright too quickly and became dizzy. Although there was a safety wall, he fell over it to his death.

Surprisingly, it was reported that the man was wearing a safety harness at the time. However, no lanyard was tethered to a secure point that could have arrested the fall. This shows that all personnel on jobsites must be monitored by supervisors to ensure full compliance with safety regulations.

While every victim of a workplace accident in New York is covered by the state's workers' compensation insurance program, death benefits claims in this case may be difficult to navigate alone. The surviving family of the architect may benefit from consulting with an experienced workers' compensation attorney to pursue recovery of all applicable benefits. If successful, the claim may yield compensation for end-of-life expenses and a percentage of lost income.

The use of the Internet or this form for communication with the firm or any individual member of the firm does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Confidential or time-sensitive information should not be sent through this form.